Curtain-exhibitor.



No. 731,504. 'PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

P. RoUsH, JB. @L H. RoUsH. CURTAIN EXHIBITOR. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 1.7. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 vSHIIIITS--SHHE'L 1.

No. 731,504. I PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

RROUSH, Jn. In H. ROUSH.

CURTAIN EXHIBITOR.

APPLIOATION FILED 00117, 1902.

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NITED Patented June 23, 1903.

artnr trice@ CURTAlNnEXl-IIBITOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

731,504, dated June 23, 1903.

n Application filed October 17,1902. Serial No. 127.631. (No modelf .To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that we, PETER ROUSH, Jr., and HENRY ROUSH, citizens of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Exhibitors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the aocompanying drawings.

This invention relates to cu rtain-exhibitors, and has for its object to provide means for protecting the curtains from dust and dirt when the exhibitor is not in use.

More specifically, the object of our invention is to provide a simple and effective dustcurtain which may readily be drawn over the exhibit, so as to entirely inclose the same, and as readily withdrawn to expose the exhibit, and which will not in any way interfere with the operation of the exhibitor either when spread out in operative position to exhibit the curtains or when folded or closed and turned out of the way when not in use.

To these ends our invention consists in certain novel features,which we will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a curtain-exhibitor having our improved dust-curtain applied thereto, the dust-curtain being shown as drawn back or in inoperative position, so as'to permit the exhibitor to be used to display the curtains thereon. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the dust-curtain in operative position, inclosing and protecting the exhibitor and the curtains carried thereby. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 2, the dust-curtain being in central vertical section; and Fig. 4 is a plan View of the exhibitor with the dust-curtain removed.

In illustrating our invention in the accompanying drawings we have shown the same in connectionwithacurtain-exhibitor of the type set forth in Letters Patent No. 595,549,

granted to us December 14, 1897, although it will be understood that our improved dustcnrtain is applicable to other curtain-exhibitors of the same general type. In the said drawings we have shown the exhibitor as supupright 1, and it comported on a post or prises a fixed bracket 2, consisting of a base 3, adapted to be secured to the support, and projecting lugs 4, provided with upwardlyextending pivot-studs 5. This fixed bracket has pivotally connected with it a movable or swinging bracket 6, having apertured lugs 7 to iit the pivots 5 and provided with upper and lower perforated plates 8, in which are pivoted an upper series of arms 9 and a lower series of arms 10, braced by brace-rods 11 and 12, respectively, in the mannerset forth in our prior Letters Patent above referred to.v

It will be understood, of course, that any desired number of arms may be attached to the swinging bracket, which will be made of a size sufficient to accommodate them..

13 indicates a dust-curtain, made of any suitable fabric and of sufficient size to extend over the top of the upper series of arms 9 when these latter are brought together, extendinglongitudinally of said arms from their free ends to their pivoted ends and extending beyond the same somewhat both at front and rear. The dust-curtain will be of sufficient length to extend downward on both sides of the arms and of the curtains suspended therefrom, so as to inclose the same laterally from top to bottom.

14 indicates a cord or other flexible operating device secured at l5 to the top orI fold of the dust-curtain near the front edge thereof. This cord has two leads, one of which (indicated at 16) extends from its point of attachment 15 through an eye or similar guiding device having pulley-like functions and located on the free end of the middle arm 9 of the upper series or one of the arms located near the middle of the series. 4After passing through the eye 17 the lead 16 extends rear- Vward underneath the fold of the curtain along the top of the upper series of arms 9 and passes through an eye 18 or other pulley-like guiding device, from which it extends downward within convenient reach of'the operator. Preferably the lugs 4 are apertured, as indicated at 19, to form guides for the operating-cord, the lead 1G passing through these guiding-apertures. The other lead 2O of the cord 15 passes directly back to the eye 18 and downward through the apertures 19. Preferably the curtain is provided at the top, on the under side of the fold at that point, with IOO guiding-eyes 21, secured to the said curtain, one or both of the leads of the cord passing back through these guiding-eyes.

The rear vertical edges of the dust-curtain may be permanently united by stitching or otherwise, if desired, as indicated at 22, from the lower edge of the curtain upward to a point below the lower arms 10.

It will be seen that the dust-curtain may be slipped over the arms so as to rest thereon in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it incloses and protects the exhibitcurtaius suspended from the arms of the exhibitor, said exhibit-curtains being entirely inclosed both at the top and sides, and the ends may be folded over and pinned, so as to complete the protection. When the parts are in this position, it will be noted that the entire exhibitor may be swung back in either direction parallel with the plane of the base 3, so that when the exhibitor is attached to a wall or similar extensive surface the exhibitor may be turned back against the wall on either side of its point of attachment while inclosed within the dust-curtain, and if the exhibitor be attached to a post, as in the construction illustrated, the exhibitis etfectually protected by the curtain. Heretofore it has been proposed to attach an exhibitor of this type to a wall and to support from the wall a protective or dust curtain moving parallel with the wall at one side of the point of attachment of the exhibitor, so that it is necessary to swing the exhibitor to that side on which the curtain is located before it could be covered by the curtain, which curtain does not inclose the exhibit on all sides, but only falls in front of it. This construction is disadvantageous not only by reason of the fact that it will protect the exhibit in one position only, but also by reason of the additional expense of separately attaching the dust-curtain and its support to the wall. Moreover, the dust-curtain thus supported cannot be used where the exhibitor is attached to a post or suspended from the ceiling. By reason of our improved construction we are enabled to effectively protect the curtains in any position of the exhibitor, entirely inclosing the same whether the exhibitor be swung to the right or to the left or whether it be mounted upon a wall or a post or otherwise supported.

When it is desired to display the curtains, the lead 2O of the cord 15 may be grasped and pulled, whereupon the dust-curtain will be drawn toward the rear or point of support, thereby exposing1r the swinging bracket and the supporting-arms carried thereby, so as to permit the display of the curtains as desired. The curtains may be again covered bydrawin g upon the lead 16, whereupon the dust-curtain will be drawn out over the arms and will inclose the exhibit-curtains suspended therefrom in the manner already described.

In order to properly support the dust-curtain when drawn back and to prevent it from catching upon 'the swinging bracket or the rear ends of the supporting-arms when drawn forward, we provide a bail 22, connected to the base 3 at its free ends, as indicated at 23,

said ends being bent into alinement with each other and entering sockets 24 in the vertical lateral edges of the base. The arms of the bail extend thence outward to the swinging bracket 6, and the forward portion of the bail is preferably curved and rests upon the rear or inner ends of the upper supporting-arms The connection of the bail to the base is preferably pivotal and lies above the plane of the top of the arms 9, so that the curtain is drawn upward as it leaves said arms, and for this same purpose the eye 1S is also located above the plane of the top of the upper arms 9. Since the front or curved portion of the bail rests upon the arms 9, these latter may swing freely under the bail, which is supported by said arms in such operative position as to be ready to receive the curtain when it is withdrawn and prevent it from catching when it is pulled out over the arms. The bail is preferably made of wire or other resilient material, so that its ends may be sprung into and out of engagement with the sockets 24, thus rendering the bail readily detachable.

We prefer to connect the rear edge of the dust-curtain, at the top thereof, to the base in any suitable manner-as, for instance, in the manner shown, in which the curtain is provided on the under side of its fold with a tape or strengthening-strip 25, which serves to connect the eyes 21 to the dust-curtain, this tape or strip having its rear end extended and secured to the base by means of a nail or projection 26, extending upward from the upper edge of the base. The connection between the rear edge of the curtain and the base may be otherwise effected.

We do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise details of con- IOO IIO

struction hereinbefore described, and shown 'in the accompanying drawings, as it is obvious that these details may -be modified without departing from the principle of our invention. For instance, while we deem it preferable to extend the lead 16 of the operatingcord back to the base and thence downward it is obvious that said lead after passing through the eye 17 may extend directly down-- ward within reach of the operator. /Ve prefer, however, the arrangement previously described.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a curtain-exhibi-- tor comprising a plurality of pivoted arms, of a dust-curtain folded over and supported by said arms and depending on each side thereof, and means for moving said curtain longitudinally of said arms, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a curtain-exhibitor comprising pivotallymounted curtain-fl supporting arms, of a dust-curtain folded to rest upon said arms, and to depend from both sides thereof, and means for moving said curtain longitudinally with respect to said arms, said means comprising cords connected with the curtain, and guiding means for said cords carried by the exhibitor, substantially as described.

on the end of the arm and 3. The combination, with a curtain-exhibitor comprising a fixed bracket having a base for its attachment to a wall or post, and pivotally-mounted curtain-supporting arms connected with said fixed bracket, of a dust-eurtain folded to rest upon said arms, and to depend from both sides thereofand means for moving said curtain longitudinally with respect to said arms,comprising cords connected to the front portion of the dust-curtain, a guiding device on the free end of one of the arms, and a guiding device on the base, one of the cords passing directly through the guiding device on the base, and the other cord passing first through the guiding device then through the guiding device on the base, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a curtain-exhibitor provided with a base for its attachment to a wall or post, and curtain-su pporting arms pivotallysupported with respect to said base, ofa dust-curtain folded to rest upon said arms, and to depend from both sides thereof, a bail connected with the base and extending over the rear ends of the curtain-supporting arms,

guiding devices mounted respectively on the base and on the free end of one of the arms, and cords connected with the front portion of the curtain, one of said cords passing directly through the guiding device on the base, and the other cord passing first through the guiding device on the arm and then through the guiding device on the base, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a curtain-exhibitor comprising a base adapted for attachment to a wall or post, and curtain-supporting arms pivotally supported by said base, of a bail connected with the base and extending downward and forward over the rear ends of the curtain-supporting arms, a dust-curtain folded to rest upon the curtain-supporting arms, and to depend from both sides thereof, and means for moving said curtain longitudinally of said arms and over the bail, said bail serving to support thecurtain when withdrawn and to guide it over the arms when being drawn out to cover the exhibitor, substantially as described.

6. In a device of lthe character described,

the combination, with a curtain-exhibitor having a base and pivotally-supported arms, said base and one of said arms being provided with cord-guidin g devices, of a curtain folded to rest on said arms, and depend from each side thereof, the cords connected to the forward portion of the curtain, and passing through said guiding devices as described, and cord-guiding eyes secured to the under side of the curtain at the fold, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a base and curtainsupporting arms pivotally supported therefrom, said base being provided with a cordguiding device above the supporting-arms, and one of said supporting-arms being provided with a cord-guiding device at its forward end, of a curtain folded to rest upon and depend from each side of said arms, and operating cords for said curtain passing through said cord-guiding devices, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a fixed bracket comprising a base and apertured lugs projecting therefrom and carrying pivots, of a swinging bracket mounted on said pivots and having curtain-supporting arms pivotally mounted thereon, a cord-guiding device mounted on said base in line with and above the apertures of the lugs, a curtain supported on said arms, one of said arms being provided with a cord-guiding device at its outer end, and cords connected with the forward portion of the curtain and passing through said cordguiding devices and downward through the apertures of the lugs, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a curtain-exhibitor comprising a fixed bracket, a swinging bracket pivotally connected therewith, and curtain-supporting arms pivotally connected with the swinging bracket, ofa bail connected to the fixed bracket and extending over the curtain-supporting arms, cord-guiding devices carried by said fixed bracket and by one of the curtain-supporting arms, a curtain resting on said curtain-supporting arms and depending from each side thereof, and operating-cords passing through said cordguiding devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

PETER ROUSH, J R. HENRY ROUSH.

Witnesses:

JAs. R. BUCK, GEO. W. MURPHY.

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